Soldiers hurled my sister into a tub of pearls. Her tail glowed faint blue. They shoved their hands all over her, ripping off scales. Shimmering blue scattered across the floor. Then they cut her open and pulled out her heart. The Queen had heard rumors of sirens in the Southern Isles. That their princess carried a Siren's Heart inside her body. Swallow it, and you'd have eternal beauty. An allure no man could resist. The Queen wanted it. So the King sent soldiers to slaughter us and gut my sister for her heart. That day the sea ran red. Everywhere I looked, my people lay split open. I hid beneath a reef, blood clouding my vision, tears rolling down and hardening into pearls. Every one stained red. My sister's last words echoed in my ears. *"Elara, stay alive."* The world knew our colony had one princess, one Heart. No one knew this generation, there were two. And one wasn't just beautiful. She was a witch. That one was me. I dragged myself ashore and cast the old spell to trade my tail for legs. Then I summoned a familiar. It took shape of a snake. I fed it my blood and bound it to me. It coiled around my wrist, teeth glinting, and I named it Malice. Three months. That was all it took. I made my way to the capital, slipped into the palace as a dancer, and traded a pouch of siren tears for the King's whereabouts. ---
Moonlight spilled across the lake. I danced on the water, toes skimming the surface, ripples spreading silver beneath me. A sweet fragrance rose from my skin. Fireflies drifted in from the reeds, circling me, refusing to leave. Alaric stood on the bank, frozen. When I finished and turned, my eyes met his. I feigned surprise, slipped on my shoes, and made to leave. "Wait." I stopped. "You're a palace dancer? I've never seen this dance before." I kept my head down. "It's from my homeland, Your Majesty. Few have seen it." The spring night was cool. I let myself shiver. He noticed. He took off his pale robe and draped it over my shoulders. I looked up at him, let my cheeks flush pink. The fragrance thickened. The air turned warm. I saw the flash of want in his eyes. He cleared his throat. "The Queen loves dancing. Her birthday approaches. You will perform this for her." I dropped to my knees. "Forgive me, Your Majesty. I didn't know who you were." He waved his hand, but his gaze lingered on my face. "Rise. No offense taken. Don't disappoint me or the Queen." I thanked him and accepted the task. As he walked away, I flicked my fingers. A tiny leech burrowed into his skin. It would feed on his thoughts, bend his feelings toward me. By the next morning, the whole palace was talking about the dancer who'd caught the King's eye. Someone knocked on my door. A woman I'd never seen before. ---
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